2010 FIFA World Cup: Fabio Capello's World Cup Dilemma

So after a few hours of rumor-driven chaos, we eventually found out the 23 players Fabio Capello will be taking with him to South Africa.

The headline grabber was, of course, Theo Walcott, who has paid a heavy price for failing to push on after that marvellous hat-trick in Zagreb two years ago. Other than that it was a fairly safe selection by Capello as he largely opted for experience over youth.

But in doing so, he has also selected a number of players woefully out of form and is gambling that a World Cup will inspire them.

Take Shaun Wright-Phillips for instance. At various points during the season he has struggled for both club and country. If Walcott had been given the nod instead, would anyone have complained? They were a coin toss apart, in my opinion.

The wildcard would have been Adam Johnson, who has come on leaps and bounds since moving to City in January and has played better than Wright-Phillips and Walcott have in the past six months. Would his raw talent and youthful exuberance have been a better option?

The same applies to the defence with the inclusion of Matthew Upson, who has not looked commanding in the centre of defence while wearing an England shirt, ahead of Michael Dawson, who has been in sparkling form for Spurs this season but has not yet won a full cap. Did Dawson deserve at least a chance to show what he could do in the two friendlies?

The 2010 World Cup odds make England third favourites for the competition and they will need to be solid at the back if they are to go all the way. Can Upson really provide the steel they need if he is called on?

In midfield, Tom Huddlestone missed out after an average game against Japan, but was it any worse than Michael Carrick's run out against Mexico? Carrick's form has dropped nearly as alarmingly as Walcott, but his greater experience seems to have won out on this occasion.

Picking uncapped players for World Cup squads isn't always a good idea, Walcott’s ridiculous inclusion in 2006 is evidence of that but, by playing it safe and putting faith in the likes of Carrick and Upson, Capello is taking a big a risk.

My only hope is the starting XI (which will be a competitive force in South Africa) remains injury-free so Capello doesn't have to see the result of his World Cup gamble .